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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · rule · press · net · root · branch · bound · firm

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — government
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. net — in sport
  6. root — of a word
  7. firm — a company
  8. bound — obliged
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. net — for catching
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bound — certain
  13. press — a publisher
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — steady
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. press — newspapers
  18. rule — a law
  19. press — to push
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. firm — decided
  22. bound — tied together
  23. root — the cause
  24. net — after costs

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com